Adjustable orthopedic arch support



Aug. 11, 1936. -A; KURTZ" l :ADJUSTABLE ORTHOFEDIC ARCH SUPPORT FiledMay 8, 1955 Patented ug. lll, 1935 2,050,973 v ADL'B'USTABL ORTHOPEDICARCH SUPPORT Andrew Kurtz, Allentown, Pa., assigner of onevhalf to FrankBrown, Allentown, Pa.

Application May s, 1935, seriai No. 20,3%'5' 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in foot wear and moreparticularly to devices used in connection therewith for supporting thearch of a foot in its correct, natural position.

A great many persons experience some form of foot troubles, such as fiatfeet, fallen arches, weak ankles and the like, and it is the principalobject of this invention to provide means to be either built into aspecially constructed shoe, or to be manually inserted into standardshoes, to mitigate such troubles, and to give comfort and relief to thewearer.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an arch supportcomposed of two main elements and provided with means for relativeadjustment to suit individual requirements.

Another feature is in the provision of a resilient, lateral wing-likesupport for the inner side of the instep, which is adjustable withrespect to the central longitudinal support.

Yet another aim of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter, having few, simple and inexpensive parts, and which mayeither be permanently embodied in a shoe during its construction, orsupplied to any ordinary shoe in the form of an inner sole.

These meritorious objects and advantages are attained by the novel andsimple construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafterdescribed and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a material partof this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of an embodiment of the invention, aspermanently applied to a shoe.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure1, and showing its relation to a conventional shoe, indicated in brokenlines.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective View, of the rear part of thedevice.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing a modification of thedevice, which may be inserted into any already constructed shoe.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, a conventional type ofleather inner sole, designated by numeral I5, which is permanently builtinto a shoe, has iiXed on its upper surface, centrally of its width, atits shank portion, a stiff but slightly resilient, narrow metallic plateI6. The plate or bar I6 is preferably beveled to a thin edge at its endsI'I and is secured by a rivet I8 near its forward end to the inner soleI5.

Disposed over the plate I6 and rear portion of the sole is a leatherleaf I9, shaped in conformity with the sole, arched midway its lengthand permanently attached to it over the heel portion, its front beingfree, the leaf being further secured 5 to the sole I5 by a rivet 20which also passes through the support plate I6.

An upper leaf 2l is attached at its front edge to the leaf I9 to whichit substantially conforms in profile. Both leaves I9 and 2I have formed10 at their shank edges wing-like extensions 2I curved upwardly asshown.

Below these instep supporting elements is a resilient metal plate 22,generally circular in profile and curved upwardly to support theelements 15 2|?, this plate being attached by rivets 23 to the lowerleaf I9.

Extending integrally from the plate 22 is a stem 24 bent to reach overthe support bar I 6 and passing through an opening in the stem is theupper 20 end of a stud 25 screw threaded to receive a lock nut 26.

A collar or annular flange 2l on the stud acts as a seat for the stem 24of the instep support plate and is adjustable in the bar I6 by the 25threaded lower end 28 which engages a threaded opening in the bar, anopening 29 in the inner sole permitting such adjustment.

It will be seen that, by turning the stud, the instep support may beraised relative to the bar 30 I6, and the lock nut 26 set to secure anydesired adjustment.

Due to the spring-like support 24, the instep support is quite flexible,and by reason of its pivoted attachment to the bar I6, it isself-conforming to the foot, while the height of the support can bevaried to suit the requirements of the wearer of the shoe.

It will also be apparent that, when a shoe is worn in which the instepsupport has been raised 40 relative to the bar I6, the weight of thewearer will cause the support plate 22 to slightly adjust itselfsideways, which adds materially to the comfort of a wearer.

In Figure 5 a modification of the device is 45 shown. The devicedisclosed in Figures 1-4 is permanently imbedded in a shoe, whereas inthis modification, the arch support is built upon a loose inner sole,which may be inserted and permanently or removably secured to the inner50 sole of any desired shoe. The inner sole upon which the arch supportis constructed may be made in any size, to correspond to the varioussizes in which shoes are made. The only diierences in the constructionof this modification 55 are that in the modification the rivet 30,corresponding to the rivet I8 in Figure 2, secures, besides bar I6, theleather leaf I9 and upper leaf 2| to the inner sole, and that a screw 3|is used instead of the rivet 20. It will be clear that the arch supportbearing inner sole may be secured to a shoe, by screwing the screw 3linto the heel.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the preferred forms of theinvention, it will be understood that changes may be made in itsconstruction without departure from the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an arch support, an inner sole, a metal plate fixed on its upperside centrally of its width at the shank, a flexible leaf secured at itsrear edge to the heel portion of said sole, a second flexible leafsecured at its front edge to the first named leaf, a longitudinal archsupport having a perforated resilient plate disposed below said leaves,a stud having an adjustable screw-threaded connection with said metalplate, a collar on 5 resilient metal strip fixed on its upper surface, a10 series of flexible leaves over said strip and sole, a stem interposedbetween said strip and leaves, a flexible longitudinal arch support onsaid stem, said support being curved upwardly and covered by saidleaves, means for raising and lowering l5 said stem relative to saidstrip, and means for securing said stem in adjusted position.

ANDREW KURTZ.

